A No-Pressure Season Preview For The St. Louis Cardinals

Welcome to the long awaited return of Cardinals talk with Russ Eddins!

Happy baseball season folks! so good to be back with my partner!

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The Cardinals are predicted to sit near the bottom of MLB standings, and weirdly, that might be the most honest starting point St. Louis has had in years. With Opening Day around the corner, we’re choosing a different lens: less scoreboard obsession, more clarity on the rebuild, the roster, and the player development that has to finally click.

We grade the Cardinals offseason and talk through what it means to move on from familiar names while restocking the farm system. The JJ Weatherholt news is the obvious spark, but we also dig into the players who can define the season’s tone: Mason Wynn’s all-around talent, Jordan Walker’s need for real rhythm, and the make-or-break pressure on Nolan Gorman to turn power into consistency. On the pitching side, we’re cautiously intrigued by the rotation’s ability to keep games competitive, then we get real about the bullpen risk and what short starts could do to this team early.

Most of all, we try to answer the question every Cardinals fan is quietly asking: what counts as success when a playoff run feels unlikely? Is it 81-81, cleaner baseball, meaningful growth from young guys, or simply giving fans a reason to keep watching? If you’ve got a record prediction, a best offseason move, or a hot take on who becomes the 2026 Cardinals MVP, hit play and then tell us where you land. Subscribe, share with a fellow Cardinals fan, and leave a rating or review so more people find Cardinals Talk.

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Transcript

Welcome Back And Opening Day Setup

SPEAKER_00 0:22

Welcome to the Dalen show. What's going on, people? And welcome to one of your favorite series of all time. Welcome back to Cardinals Talk. I'm Dalen Flowers. He's Russ Eddings. And welcome to a long-awaited episode number seven of Cardinals Talk. If you're new, hit that subscribe button. It's free and it helps us keep growing the channel and allows us to keep on having these conversations in the future. Welcome to the Dalen Show. So glad to have you here. And welcome to a new season of baseball. I would say I'm excited, but I don't know how excited I really am to be a St. Louis Cardinals fan this year. But nonetheless, there is still some type of potential to look forward to. There are new players to enjoy. There's an excitement about watching some former players do good things at their new places. And we look to for the future. So my friend Russ, I see you all the time, but good to see you virtually. How are you doing, my friend?

SPEAKER_01 1:18

I'm doing good. I got a busy day today, but it's nine in the morning as of recording, the earliest we've ever recorded this. Which isn't that early, but it feels really early for us.

Offseason Grade And Team Mood

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Very true. It's about 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the Tuesday before opening day. So gonna do my best. You you will see this before opening day starts, before the Cardinals first game, uh Thursday, I think at 3:15 p.m. Central, yes, against Tampa Bay. So you will see this before opening day. So gather what you got with us. Uh have your takes, your opinions on what we're gonna talk about before opening day, opening day roster. Obviously, JJ Weatherhole is kind of the big talk right now. But I guess Rush is first, man. I guess I want to ask you a little bit of a broad question. Just how do you feel about the current state of the team? Uh the JJ Weatherhole news kind of blew up yesterday. And obviously, I think that was expected by most fans, anyways, to him to be called up. But I guess personally, after the off-season, all the moves have been made. Uh, how are you personally feeling? I guess let me ask you two questions. How are you personally feeling? And like give the off-season moves a grade, like at a A from an F. Like, what would you grade the off-season moves?

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Personally, I feel pretty good with the season because there's no pressure. There's no there's no standard. I mean, every poll, every chart I've seen, but St. Lowe's is like 27th in the league or something. Yeah. So there's no pressure. I mean, they can go out and you know, win 70 games, no one's gonna care. Um, they can go out and win 90, and no one will everyone will be surprised. Um, so I think that's that's kind of a good thing. And when there's no pressure, they can kind of just do their own thing. And like the the the shining star right now is is Brotherholt. You know, he's all eyes are on him, really. You know, I feel like it's been a win for a while, and you know, Donovan's now gone. You mentioned the offseason trades. Um, Donovan, Contreras, Gray, they're all gone. And I I think I think when our initial reactions were like pretty bleak, like wow, we got all we traded our best players when you watch out of it. But I think it kind of helped the farm system out pretty good. I gotta go back and review all that um before season starts. We're not gonna see several of those players. I think Blaze Jordan probably has the best shot. Or Blaze Jordan was from earlier, so that doesn't even count. I think we're not gonna see many of those players off the top of my head. We didn't get any like true major leaguers, I don't think. I think we just got a lot of prospects, if not mistaken. Um but uh ultimately I think overall you kind of gotta give if I had to get a letter grade before we even saw them play, I would say like a B minus. I think because you traded away three of those top players that were I mean Don wasn't even making that much money. Um uh but you traded away some some of those top guys, and you got you got some good players out of it, but it remains to be seen how they do, you know, in their first year of the carnal system, which I think is gonna be really telling of the development of the system. You know, you got these new fresh prospects, you gotta develop them. So we'll see how that goes in in this season, majors and minors.

New Faces And Prospect-Focused Hope

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Yeah, man. Um I I think we're gonna go like a B. Uh, I'm not mad at the moves that were made this offseason. Uh I honestly speaking, I know it's kind of impossible. I would have liked to see another move if possible. Um I I think that there could have been another young piece added to this team that I really would have liked to see. I'm not really sure where. Uh but I I think honestly the the organization did well uh throughout the offseason. Uh Chain kind of came in, and I think he has high expectations. And not saying that there are high expectations on this team this year. Like you said, I think this team can win 70 games, and I'm not gonna lose my mind, or we can win 90 games and shock the world, and that will also be great. But like, I think that you get rid of Ryan Helsley, you get rid of Eric Fetty, Donovan's gone, Sonny Gray's gone, Wilson Contreras is gone, Arnado, Michael's so happy he's gone, John King is gone. Um, you know, you got a few other guys, Michael Cianni uh is out as well. I I think that the overall haul was expected and needed. And so I'm not mad at the moves made. I think that it's gonna be weird to see some of the guys that were here gone, but I think some of the players that we brought in, we got in a lot of pitching talent and a lot of young farmer talent that I think is gonna be really beneficial for us. Um, and I honestly think our rotation pitching wise may surprise some people. I I don't think it necessarily is that bad. I think that McGreavy is gonna improve. Uh, and and I think that the entire Cardinals organization is not gonna be as bad. I think that JJ Wertherhole is gonna be able to provide some things that is gonna be important. I think Mason Wynn, I think people forget how talented he is on both ends. Uh, I I'm really, really hoping that this is the year that we see Jordan Walker kind of just find rhythm. I don't want to say explode because I almost did, because I really want to see him explode, but just find some rhythm. Just find a bit of consistency, find some confidence, uh, make it a decent season uh defensively and batting, and just become a uh a guy that I think you, myself, and all Cardinals fans have been hoping that he turns out to be. And I think that will be very monumental for this team. Uh Ali Marmol, he got a contract extension. I know that's kind of been up in the air in terms of reaction from Cardinals fans. So I I think the the team is set. Um, and I'm I'm honestly excited in a way. Again, what makes it so exciting, like you said, I'm not there's no pressure. Like, I've I've been doing this for so long. I've been sitting watching this team for my entire life, and it's like it's World Series or bust. And it's you dominate and get to the playoffs or bust, and that is what the historic program of this franchise is. But now, in a way, it's just like let's just watch and learn at this point. Let's not have an expectation of sweeping every team in our division, let's not have any real division of let's go out and win the NL this year. No, it's just the sit back, watch, and learn. I think for me personally, that's the most exciting part. That I've it's it's new because I've never been in the situation in this Cardinals fan, but it's also very refreshing to be in this situation because I've wanted this for a long time, honestly. And I think I told you this months ago before we kind of put a halt on the things before the season ended, is that I wanted them to rebuild years ago. I wanted them to rebuild during COVID. It just kind of I think personally got put in the halt because Albert came back for his final year and you didn't want to do that. But I wanted this to happen in 2020. I thought that it was time at that point and kind of rebuild and move on to different, different motions. And then 2022 happened, Goldie won the MVP, Albert, you know, kind of get to the playoffs, and then since that Philly series, man, I have not really enjoyed watching Cardinals baseball much of all since 2022 in the playoffs. So I I think it's exciting just to, I guess, kind of just be able to watch and not really expect much.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

Yeah. And there are, you know, there's some exciting things, like uh obviously JJ. Um, I always have been kind of a fan of Dustin May. Nice to see him. Yeah. Like him with the Dodgers. I thought he was nasty a few years ago before the injury happened. Um, you know, Weatherhole kind of had a good spring. He had a pretty sustainable, obviously it's spring training. You know what I mean? But for a rookie, it's I think it's kind of important to, you know, play well, you know, buy your roster spot a little bit, earn it. And I think he did that, obviously. Um uh Jordan Walker, not as much of a great thing. You mentioned him. Nolan Gorman, your guy, kind of kind of had a pretty good spring. Burlison, you know, went out and did it. Nathan Church, Victor Scott kind of struggled. Mason wins struggled, but I don't even put too much on that. He'll figure it out. Um, another name to watch out for this year is gotta be Joshua Baez. I've heard about him. I saw him like, you know, it wasn't a comparison to Albert Paul Hulse, but it was saying like, you know, it's kind of the same power, maybe. I'm not quite sure what the point of the post was, but it was saying that it was reminiscent of Albert. I don't think anyone's gonna be him, but I definitely think you know, with a good spring like he had and being as high of a prospect as Baez is, I think it's it almost feels like he's kind of next up. Um, and then you know, we obviously got uh Chase Davis, who maybe maybe turned a corner this spring. How does it see about him? But a lot of a lot of prospects that I look forward to seeing, and um ultimately that's kind of why you tune in to see the prospects, see them play this year, I think.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

Yeah, uh I I've I've kind of looked into bias lately as well. I I like him. He's young, 22, uh good pal from what I've seen as well. I think for me is just developing these guys properly. I I really have the long-term fear of doing all of this and it not working out. And I think that's like my biggest fear is how do we do this correctly? And because we've seen a lot of top prospects come through this franchise over the years, man. And how many of those guys have we traded to other organizations and they have plundered into being great uh superstars or really good players, and that could have been here. And so I I think for me personally, it's just making sure this is successful. I think Bloom is the guy to make it happen. Uh, I think he's very stern on how he wants to do this, and he's done things that uh I've been kind of skeptical, skeptical at first, but then now knowing his background, knowing his familiarity with some of the moves he made to Boston, I'm like, okay, I think I have a little bit more comfort in him being able to make this move and this guy being successful in the Carnot jersey. Uh but also uh again, I again I said this earlier. I don't think that expectations are gonna be low, obviously. I don't think we're gonna, we're probably gonna be last in division and all that stuff. But like, I'm not that upset with this team. Like, I think Libertor, McGreevy, Dustin Mae, Kyle Lehi, and Pallante is a decent rotation, man. For everything that we've had to go through over the in the in the offseason, the moves that we had to make, I think that rotation is obviously not a great rotation, but I think it's something that can win you some games. Uh, I've grown to like Libby a little bit more as the years have gone by. I think there are obviously still improvements for any pitcher, but I think that Libby coming in is a good guy to have out there on day one for the Cardinals. And so I'm excited to see what he does uh Thursday. And like you said, I think other guys, I I love that you mentioned Vic Victor Scott. I think he has to be really pivotal for this team to be successful as well. And I don't even, you know, saying success, I don't want to say successful. What what how do you how do you grade success for this team this year? Like, is it winning games or is it just developing these players and making sure guys get better? Is it limiting things that you saw problems from last year? Like, how do you grade success for this team this year if you're a Cardinals fan, Rose?

SPEAKER_01 11:54

I think it's you know, from a fans perspective, obviously you want to win games, you know, you want to go to the ballpark and see your team play well. And so ultimately, I'm looking for a team that's you know gonna compete in games. You're not gonna win over the course of the whole month or the whole season, but I do I want to see some good baseball at the very least. You know, I'm I'm gonna go to the ballpark and I don't want to get blown out of the water every game. You know, I've if I'm going all I'm in Oxford, I'm six hours in St. Louis, I'm driving up there, you know, I'm I'm kind of I'm kind of scared to go to the ballpark this year because I don't want to see the team get blown out in person. Um so I think you just have to play competitively, you know, day in and day out. And if the result doesn't come out, you know, you lose the game. That's I mean, it is what it is. But from a fan perspective, I just want to see some good baseball. So as long as they're not like the bad news bears out there, or you know, the White Sox, they don't get that bad, then I don't think many people are gonna have too much of an issue with it. But you know, if they start, you know, having four or five errors a game, which I don't think they will because the Cardinals and they're they're great you know defensively, but you know, if they start getting blown out of the water a little bit, then I I kind of think our family perspective, people are just gonna turn TV off. Um, but from a you know, I guess a media perspective, an analytical perspective, you know, a front office perspective, you're trying to just develop. I think that's the number one thing. You just develop. Um, and with development kind of comes the tickets. You know, you're you're you're saying, hey, come watch these guys learn, you know, the game a little bit at this level, come do come watch them play. You know, that's gonna sell tickets. But I think from my perspective, you know, when I turn TV on, you know, five five days a week, you know, I go watch LEAT Tonight, you know, I hope they're not saying, oh man, this is a bad baseball team. I just want them to be like, hey, it's a development stage, they're gonna figure it out. But I just hope they don't sink to the bottom. That's my only hope, is that they just do not become the White Sox or something from a few years ago.

SPEAKER_00 13:38

I love that point because again, I said this earlier, it's just weird. Like it's it's exciting for me to not have any pressure, but it's it's just weird. This is not the Cardinals franchise, it's not what I have experienced as a fan. I've experienced two World Series. Uh I've experienced some great playoff runs. Uh, I've experienced some great players come through. So it's just weird in that sense. And like you said, I don't I don't even know if I can physically handle being rock bottom. Like, I don't, I don't know where that would even stand uh in my like life. But I will say this. I think you should be excited because you get like$30 parking,$20,$29 unlimited snacks, like$5 popcorn. Like, I will say this, they're trying. They're trying to give fans out, and they're trying to get people involved in their best possible way. Honestly, I'm not mad at it, man. Like, I think that you you uh you gotta do what you gotta do at this point. This has been an unprecedented time over the last three or four years. Um, and obviously fans are not happy for a lot of different reasons, starting with management uh and then going up into GM and owners and their representation of the of the franchise and their everyday moves. But I'm not mad at that. I'm I'm I love that they're trying to keep fans involved and happy because what else can they do when you've been struggling the last three years as bad as the Cardinals have? Uh you've completely rehauled the the program now. Uh that is your best way, I would say, to be like fans, come watch this team play. Honestly, I'm not mad at it because again, I think that you don't want to be one of those fans that sits here and says, Oh, I don't want to go watch these guys play. They're they're nobodies. And then five, six years down the road, you're competing at the highest level, then, and then you're gonna regret that you didn't go to those games. So I really love the moves that they did this offseason with the with the uh ballpark in terms of the prices. I just wanted to mention that really quickly. I thought that that was cool they did that. But Russ, I want to ask you before the season starts, who are you predicting to be your player of the season?

Ballpark Prices And MVP Predictions

SPEAKER_01 15:47

For St. Louis, uh a lot of guys, obviously. I mean, weather Holt comes to mind, but you know, what the weather rookies have been the past few years, Paul Skeens namely, you know, kind of coming up early after you know, small time the minors, I think he kind of has that potential to be what Dylan Cruz was supposed to be for the Nationals almost, you know. You know, be what he was supposed to be, you know. LSU won two. I hate LSU, just get that out of the way. I hate LSU. But you know, they were one two in the draft years ago, and Dylan Cruz was like kind of like the guy, right? You know, it was like who's gonna go first? Obviously, now it's obviously Paul Skeens. He should have gone first and he did go first. Um but I think Weather Holt can kind of be what Cruz was supposed to be, kind of like the next big guy. Um and it's worked out for him, hopefully it worked out for Weatherholt. Um but my player of the year, my my MVP of the team, I think if if it's Mason win again, then I I think we're right back to what 74 and 80 something like losses for the year. But if it's a guy like Nolan Gorman, I think they may get to 500. So I'd say if Nolan Gorman gets going, if he is this, if he is the player of the year of the Cardinals, then I I think the team is generally speaking will be more successful than if it was Mason Wynn. If he if Nolan Gorman can you know put some pop back in his bat and you know kind of you know win some ballgame for the team, I think the team can go a little bit. But if it's if it's just win, win's not gonna be able to carry the team like like Gorman can.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

I'm standing on business and I'm saying Nolan Gorman, and I don't care. You're gonna see an astronomical jump from my man this year. I'm calling it now 270 batting average throughout the 270.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

Wow. I'm calling it what's like 30 points above league average, by the way. Just to look clear. Yeah, that's a steep that's that's that's like three hits more than league average hitter per what?

SPEAKER_00 17:49

270 BA this year. I'm giving him like 20 home runs.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

That's it, only 20?

SPEAKER_00 17:56

Yeah, I'm you know, I'm I'm trying to be realistic. I already was unrealistic with the 270 BA, so I'm trying to be realistic. 20 20 homers, I'll go like 60 60 RBIs, and I'm 60. And I'm and I'm content. I'm content. I mean, what do you what do you what do you expect me to say, Russ?

SPEAKER_01 18:12

If he hits 20 homers, then he's getting to at least 90 RBIs. I mean you think so? Because you know, half of them are gonna be like of the solo variety, the other half will probably be like twos and threes. And then if he's hitting 20 homers, well, I truly hope he's hitting, you know, 30 doubles.

SPEAKER_00 18:33

I'm just saying, man, he got you're you're right, you're probably right. Yeah, he's you'll okay. Let me let me do my I'm not a math major, guys. You know, not a math pod.

SPEAKER_01 18:42

Not a math pod.

JJ Weatherholt Hype And Minor Leagues

SPEAKER_00 18:43

Maybe like 80 ribies. I'm being unrealistic, but I I I've always been a Nolan Gorman fan as Russ said. I I've I've always had this dude's back, and every year it just keeps on failing me and failing me and failing me. But this is the year, this is the moment he has to step up. There's no ifs, ands, and buts about it. He has to be a bright spark for this team. Or it just it's time to move on. It it really is, and I I hate that, but uh I feel like this organization can only keep on trying things over and over again and them not working for a certain amount of time because that is a definition of insane. So we've been insane long enough, and I'm tired of it. So I hope my good friend Nolan Gorman is watching, and I hope you continue the groove that I've heard you've had over the offseason in terms of your hitting prowess. And I hope we see it in the regular season this year, my friend. So no pressure, no pressure at all. But I will say this I uh I saw JJ uh in September of last year, and he went like three for four, had a home or a double. Uh, I'm excited to see him. Um, every Cardinals fan should be excited to see JJ Wellho. This has been the guy. Uh, and I'm also though excited to see what Liam Dole does in the farm system this year. Um, I'm eager to see how he improves and grows and how quickly he may move through the system as well. Obviously, he was our first round pick this year, and a lot of expectations are on him to be able to grow and have good potential for the team in the future. So excited to watch some. I've never been a big double A, triple A watcher like Russ has, but I think I may be getting into it a little bit more this year in terms of where the the franchise officially is at.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Yeah, Liam Doyle Doyle, former old Miss Rebel, current Ole Miss hated pitcher. No one likes him there. Um, no offense to Liam Doyle. I mean, you know, he's got an attitude. That's kind of why no one likes him because he he left, I would assume, for more money at Tennessee, which is crazy to say about baseball. We're saying that in the year 2026. People left money for baseball. It's kind of crazy to say. Um in college anyway. Um when I remember, and he was fun to watch. I know he went to Tennessee, and you know, you go to Tennessee, you you build an attitude. Um, you kind of, you know, I remember um their their championship run team, though and they lost Notre Dame uh a few years ago. That was like that was like the team of destiny almost. Everyone was like, this team is great because they're so cocky and they're full of themselves. Um and I don't think Doyle was on that team. Maybe, maybe not. But I I just remember Doyle as being the guy who was like he he was the dude in the Tennessee dugout a few years ago, and he was the cockiest guy you're ever gonna meet, is what I I kind of heard. I don't know. But it's kind of bittersweet to see him as you know, I live in Oxford and he left for more money. But it's cool that he drafted. I'm gonna hope that. I don't know how good of a fit he is, though. You know, no no like like when we got Johnny Peralta, I say all this to do this point. When we got Johnny Peralta, my mom was like, oh, he doesn't really fit the Cardinals mold. It's kind of like a like a like a bad a bad a bad guy, you know. He's kind of he he, you know, he kind of threw the bat at somebody one time and got suspended for a bit, I think. And I wonder, you know, if there's gonna be like a personality clash with maybe the coaches, maybe I don't know. That's kind of digging pretty deep. I think maybe it's the Tennessee environment just kind of made him who we thought he was, but maybe overall he's just a nice guy. I don't I don't know.

Record Predictions And NL Central Outlook

SPEAKER_00 22:15

Yeah, I I don't I don't want to go too far on it. I don't really know the guy, but I do I I love that. Point honestly, because I think the vibe that I got from this team, and always really honestly, is that even when we had MVP guys, then no one felt that they were bigger than the program. No one felt that they were like even if you were a superstar, you never like felt like that or moved like that or kind of acted like that, which made the this organization as special that it's always always has been. So I love that point that you make because us being old miss guys, we don't we don't really get to sit back and say how much we like Liam Doyle. So I think or Andrew Fisher. That's true. Um but nonetheless, I still hope the best for him, obviously. Um and I just hope that um we stay healthy this year. I think that's my biggest thing as well. I just want to stay healthy and honestly, just winning 70 games, but with the healthy roster and just being able to see these guys at their fullest potential this year will be very beneficial for me. Um so I think that's another big thing for me this year. Uh record prediction, my friend. Where are what are we going?

SPEAKER_01 23:28

I think that you have to make the goal. I mean, obviously the goal every year should be World Series. Um gosh. I'm saying, you know, but like I think uh the the the goal of the program of the franchise, I should say, but to wait too much time in college sports. The goal of the franchise, you know, is probably hey, let's just win a few more games than last year. And they were what they what was record last year? It was in the 70s. It was set like 70 something, 80 something. So I'd say if you're improving on that while you're developing, you're doing good. So I'm gonna say if they go, I mean, just 81, 81. I think that's that that's a that's a kind of a lofty goal. I think that's maybe what four or five more wins in last year-ish, relatively. So I don't know if they've bought that this year, but I think that's kind of like okay, let's go out and do a little better than we did last year. Um, and if like like I said a minute ago, if Nolan Gorman hits 20 and 25, 30 homers, I think that's very possible. If Nolan Gorman has a 272 batting average, I think that's kind of what unlocks the offense a little bit. Um, but I feel like every time last year we got runners in scoring position, I I was after on TV on Nolan Gorman is at the plate with runners in scoring position. If we can just kind of unlock him and keep him, you know, where he has been in the lineup, you know, you know, I think he was in the sixth spot last year, a good bit. You know, if we can unlock Nolan Gorman a little bit and make him be the true four you know, three-hole hitter, depending on who his pitcher is, the team can get to 80 wins, which would be a great year, by the way. They would miss the playoffs and people would celebrate and say, hey, they did better than we thought they could. And if as a St. Louis Cronos fan, if I can just get to 500, I think this would be um a major step in the right direction. That's a big lofty goal. I'll say that.

SPEAKER_00 25:22

I I I want to say this team can be 500. I really do. Because I I think last year it just felt so depleted. Like it felt like we were trying for no reason. Like it just felt like the the the players knew that they weren't gonna go far, that I felt like everybody needed a reset button. And it was fun watching for like two or three months, and then after that, it was just kind of becoming a struggle to watch the team. I don't necessarily know if I'm gonna feel like that this year. Uh again, I'm not expecting this team to win 90 games, but I'm expecting a bit of uh of an energizer buddy from this team. I'm expecting a light bulb to be popped up from some of these guys' heads. So I'm not mad at 81 and 81. Uh, I may go in like the 75, 77, 78 range if I'm being more realistic. Um just because again, a lot of these guys are unfamiliar with the professional level, or just guys that have not been able to prove themselves yet. And I think that hopefully we could see that this year. I mean, there that there are more guys that I think that are gonna be really important. I I think that Lars Newbar has been a really big fan favorite, but I think we can see improvements from him in all levels. Um, I think that our rotation can be better behind the starting lineups. Like I think JoJo Romero is gonna need a a really, really big year for the Cardinals if we want to see that that kind of 500 reign. So I I'm I I think the same thing about Pedro Paez. Like there are a lot of guys that I think looking around that have potential, they have just are not have not proven it yet. So I'm gonna go like 75, 76, 77, 78 around that reins. I know that's not an official statement, but I don't I don't want to be a clip. Russ is gonna be a clip at the end of this year, and so I'm not gonna be that guy.

SPEAKER_01 27:10

But we know last year the Cardinals were, I looked it up, 70, 78, and 84.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:15

Three games below 500. And by the way, if the Pirates get the fourth spot this year, I'll say that'd be crazy. Because they were 20 games under 500 last year, 71 and 91. I don't think that the Pittsburgh Pirates have bought themselves another 10 wins. Really? I mean, they haven't bought themselves 10 more wins. I think they definitely tried, you know, they took some big swings, great for them, happy for the their their fan base because they mean they have Paul Skeens, they should be better. They should be continuing with the brewers to the uh the the the crown of the central. They should be. But they didn't spend any money, and neither do we. But I don't they got Connor Griffith. I don't or Connor Griffith, I don't think he made the opening roster. I think they're gonna send him down. He did. So I don't know. I think the Cardinals will get that fourth spot. Maybe the Pirates are gonna go on a run this year, you know, for the sick of them, hope they do, because I mean it's a beautiful ballpark. Seeing some postseason ball there would be awesome. But if the Cardinals go 77 and 85 this year, I'd I wouldn't call that a loss, honestly. If you if you're only losing one game after trading, if if if you're losing one less game after trading away Donovan, Contreras, and Gray, then I mean you done something right there. Um ultimately I think 81-81 is what I'm gonna go with because that's what I want to see. That's what I hope to see. Um, but personally, I wouldn't be surprised if they went like uh a 70, like you said, a 75 or a 74.

Bullpen Concerns And Pitch Count Reality

SPEAKER_00 28:52

Just got my email from the Daily Mississippian guys. Make sure you go check them out. Uh doing great work, by the way, my friends. Um I don't know. I um by the way, the bullpen's bad. Yeah, that's my that's my that was my point that I was actually about to go into because that's why I said I don't know. Because like the the I'm not the the rotate the starting rotation is not my concern. It's the bullpen after Jojo, yeah, Roy Cross.

SPEAKER_01 29:27

You gotta think you you you you promoted Leahy and Pilante to the rotation, so it's two less arms.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:34

And I don't know how deep these guys are okay. In the first month, I'd imagine these guys aren't gonna go past the fifth. Libby is not going past the fifth until at least probably May. More than I mean the sixth or the seventh inning, maybe at some point. But I I think I think they're gonna work him up. You know, there's no rush, these guys. I don't really see Libby going past a certain pitch count for the first few few starts, and that's gonna kind of hurt the bullpen for a bit, I think. So we'll see how that goes.

World Series Picks And Listener Questions

SPEAKER_00 30:05

That's why I said I don't know if I can see this team winning any games. The the bullpen now that the moves have been made and Leahy uh and Libby and McGreebe have kind of been moved around. Jojo Romero, Stanick, Jorge Sariano, Justin Bruley, Riley O'Brien. I'm I mean, my expectations aren't high for a reason, and that's kind of why it's the bullpen. So we'll see how that plays out. Uh again, I just want to stay healthy. I think that's the biggest thing for me right now. But before we get out of Russ, your 2026, 2027 World Series winners will be the Who. And who will they beat?

SPEAKER_01 30:48

I'm not saying the Dodgers. No, I'm cats. If you're listening, sorry. I'm not, I'm not, I don't, I'm not doing that. That would be I don't want to see a three-peat. Um I'm I'm I'm sad enough that they went back to back. I gotta I have one more day to get them all my predictions down, officially on a on a Google sheet. But I'll say I think last year, I don't know. Two years ago I had the Red Sox winning it all. They didn't win at all. Um I'll say this year my non-Dodgers uh prediction it's gonna be Padres, they didn't improve this semester, this year. Uh Braves on the back foot again. You know, like to stay in Hill Central. Right. The Brewers, the Brewers are gonna win the World Series. It's the year of the I'm kidding, no. Um it's gonna be an East team. The blue the let's the Blue Jays over give me the Blue Jays over the Brewers in the World Series. The Brewers are gonna get hot the right time this year, and the Dodgers are gonna falter early. Eclipse that. Uh I would want to see that matchup. I would want to see that matchup. I want to see how the Brewers face the powerhouses, that's the Blue Jays.

SPEAKER_00 32:20

I would not. Uh I'll go. I hate that shit said Blue Jays because I was gonna say Blue Jays, but Blue Jays. I don't want to say Dodgers either, but they probably will. Um screw it. I'll make my I'll make my Philly fans happy. I'll go Phillies.

SPEAKER_01 32:40

Phillies, the I mean this is it. The the their window is like sinking. It's it's microscopic at this point.

SPEAKER_00 32:47

This is it that's like I feel like they they have to do or die, even though I don't think they're gonna do it this year. But I'll go I'll go Blue Jays, Phillies, and I'll and I'll say Blue Jays in six games to take home the World Series title at the end of this year.

SPEAKER_01 33:02

So Jays and five, Jays and five of the Rivers.

SPEAKER_00 33:06

If that happens in real life, don't say I told you so, but I did tell you.

SPEAKER_01 33:11

Well, watch the Red Sox make a run because they're basically the mini Cardinals. They've got Cotreras and Gray. So you guys, when when they go off and they win the World Series this year, I guarantee they don't win two years late.

SPEAKER_00 33:24

I guarantee they don't win their division.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

No, they probably get like third or fourth.

SPEAKER_00 33:28

Oh, yeah, I'm not yeah, I'm not betting any money on I'm not I'm not a betting man, but I'm definitely not gonna bet on the Boston Red Sox. But uh my friend, good to see you as always. Welcome back to Cardinals Talk, folks. My goal is to do this. My goal, you know, I I get on here on this on this camera and I say a lot of things sometimes. My goal is to be on here with Russ once a week. Realistically, it'll probably be every other week, but we will see. We will keep you guys updated. Make sure you follow the day on show on social media, follow the DM on social media. Uh, I would say follow Russ, but he's a very low-key private young man, and so he doesn't really care about it. DM Sports on X.

SPEAKER_01 34:12

Follow that.

SPEAKER_00 34:14

There you go. Um, my friends, whenever you see this, uh it'll probably I want to say Wednesday, but more than likely early Thursday morning. So if you're seeing this on Thursday morning or Wednesday, have a great Wednesday, have a great Thursday, happy opening day to all baseball fans, Cardinals fans, buckle up. I wish the best for us is uh gonna be a long ride, but it should be a fun ride nonetheless. And um, I wish the best to all baseball fans, minus Dodgers fans. Yes, Michael Katz. You've had your fun. I don't wish the fun for you anymore, my friend. Thank you guys for tuning in. Like I said earlier, if you're new, subscribe and leave a like and comment. Give us your opinions. What do you think the Cardinals are going to do this year? What was the best move of the offseason for you? Your regular season uh record prediction for the team. Uh just give us your thoughts about the offseason and the standard in the future for the team right now. I want to hear what you guys are thinking as well. So appreciate you guys tuning in, and we'll see you guys soon.